Anime Vice News

I'm Not In Despair Anymore! Third Zetsubou-Sensei!

Insert more "i'm in Despair!" jokes here.

If you haven't witnessed the glory of Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei for yourself-- whether in the form of Kouji Kumeta's awesome manga published in English by Del Rey Manga, or in the anime as adapted by studio Shaft and director Akiyuki Shinbou –you really, really ought to get your hands on it. (I am seriously considering sending out letters personally begging for someone to license the anime-- I know it wouldn't be worth a dub, but I would buy it SO MANY TIMES.)

Anyway! A third season of the anime, which has two TV seasons plus a 3-episode OVA so far, has been announced. If you want a quick summary of the show's story: a bunch of girls meet their new home room teacher, Nozomu Itoshiki. His name happens to be perfect: if you combine the kanji from four characters to two, it forms the word “zetsubou”-- despair. See, Itoshiki-sensei can only ever assume the worst of everything and everyone around him. Hence his catchphrase, “zetsubou shita!” (“I'm in despair!”).

Don't worry if that doesn't sound like enough story; there baically is none. Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei is basically 100% pure weird awesome humor. And the third season is due out this July. Huzzah! I mean, despair!

Dig Deeper into Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei

A series consisting of a suicidal teacher and his eccentric students, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is a comedy series whose subjects are as varied as the characters themselves. With no underlining plot, each episode and chapter typically stands on its own without much canonical connection to the others whatsoever.